Grabbing device.



J. R. KIRLEY.

GRABBING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEc.24. 1914.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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JOHN R. KIRLEY, OF NEW STRAITSVILLE, OHIO.

GRABBING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. "7,1915.

Application filed December 24, 1914. Serial No. 878,929.

The present invention relates to improve- I ments in grabbing devicesfor use in recovering lost parts of pumps in oil or similar wells.

In connection with the operations of pumping oil from wells the parts ofthe pumping tool at the bottom of the well frequently become displacedor lost and special tools are then required to fish for the lost parts.In using pumping devices utilizing a ball valve system at the bottom ofthe well, the usual custom is to recover the lost ball valve by one setof grabbing tools, and then a second set of tools, as a spear or hook isbrought into use to recover and raise the valve proper, thus requiringtwo separate operations and much time and labor, especially when workingin conjunction with deep wells.

By the utilization of my improved tool, the ball valve is lifted fromits seat and the lost part of the pumping tool is recovered by the sameoperation, and this action ofremoving the ball from its seat opens thepassage through the recovered tool so that the oil may fall therethroughas the recovered tool is lifted. In this manner, the necessity oflifting a column of oil above the recovered tool is obviated.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and specifically setforth in my appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest model I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples of my invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a grabbing tool involving theprinciples of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tool ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the tool,showing in dotted lines, the ball valve lifted from its seat leaving aspace for the oil to pass through the recovered tool as it is withdrawnfrom the well. Fig. 4; illustrates the type of pumping tool, in the welltubing or piping, to which this improved grabbing device is applied.Fig. 5 illustrates the parts of Fig. l as detached or lost from thesinker, the cage of the valve having been carried away by the sinker asthe latter was lifted from the Well.

I have illustrated, as a preferred embodiment, the invention inconnection with the well known type of reciprocable pumping devicevertically movable in the well tubing or piping indicated by thenumeral 1. The pumping device in the tubing includes a sinker or weight2, which is suitably connected to actuating parts not shown, the valvecage 3 secured to the sinker, the ball valve & within the cage, and thevalve seat 5 for the valve having the exterior screw threads 6 to whichthe cage is screwed. The remainder of the pumping tool below the valveseat is of suitable construction to perform the functions of this typeof pumping tool and need not be described in detail herein.

The two figures of drawing, Figs. 1 and 5, which show the pumping tool,illustrate the tool in operative position in Fig. 4E and with the valveportion lost in Fig. 5 waiting to be recovered by the use of thegrabbing device of my invention.

The grabbing device or tool, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 2 and 3is fashioned of the usual sleeve or bushing 7, cylindrical in shape andof size suitable to pass freely through the well tubing. At its sidesthe sleeve is cut away as indicated at 8 and 9, leaving the lowercylindrical end 10 of complete circular shape except for the presence ofthe two vertical slits or slots 11, 11. These slots of course permit thegrabbing tool to expander spread at its lower end in order that it maygrab the threaded portion 6 of the pumping tool. To insure a perfect orsecure grasp or grab of the portion 6 by the grabbing tool, the interiorof the end 10 is threaded as at 12, so that these threads 12 willclosely embrace and lit about the threads 6 of the pumping tool.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the open mouth of the cylindrical portion 10 ofthe grab tool is fashioned with a tapered or flared wall or ring 13which forms an annular shoulder 14 at the lower end of the threaded part12, and it will be apparent that this.

shoulder or annular ring is designed to fit up under the lowermost ofthe threads 6 on the pumping tool when the pumping tool is grabbed bythe grabbing tool as in Fig. 3. It will be understood of course thatthere is 'suflicient resiliency in the metal of the grabbing tool topermit the desired spread of the lower end of the grabbing tool when inaction.

For removing the ball valve 4: from its seat I emnloy a metallic springtongue which is secured to the body of the grabbing tool by means of apair of screws 16, and

projects downwardly into one of the cutdown over the threaded part 6away spaces or openings as 9 at the sides of the grabbing tool. At itsfree end the tongue is slightly curved as indicated at 17, and thiscurved lower end of the tongue is situated just above the interiorlythreaded end 10 ofthe grabbing tool, in position to encounter the ballvalve and remove it from its seat.

In use the grabbing device is attached to the sinker or weight 2 bymeans of the threaded stud or stem 18, and when, for instance, it isdesired to recover the parts illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, the grabbingtool'is carried to the bottom of the well by the weights or sinkers as2. As the grabbing tool encounters the lost pumping tool, the flaringlower end 13 of the cylindrical sleeve contacts with the top of the part6 and spreads the sleeve so that it will pass and the threads 12 thenclose in on and grasp the threads 6 of the pumping tool. \Vhile thisaction is taking place, the curved end of the spring tongue hasencountered the ball 3 valve 4 and lifted itfrom its seat as in Fig.

through the tool as the latter rises.

3. The recovered pumping toolis now ready to be lifted out of the well,and as the valve seat is uncovered, it will be evident that the oil.above. the tool will flow In this manner the load to be lifted isgreatly reduced, as it will be understood in a very deep well the columnof oil above the tool will be of considerable weight, and the tool isthus relieved of this weight of oil.

In some dry wells the tubing becomes empty below the valve portion ofthe pumping tool, and the ball is thus held to its seat by suction orthe load above it. In such case the pumping tool should be operatedsufliciently to draw oil, if possible to the tubing, so that the ballvalve may be lifted from its seat as the vacuum beneath the valve isovercome, and then the recovered tool may be lifted out of the well withthe valve seat uncovered.

One of the specially meritorious features of the invention is the use ofthe spring tongue on the grabbing tool or socket. which, when the toolis lowered over the lost part, automatically lifts the ball valve fromits seat and holds it there while the pumping tool is lifted up. Thisattached tongue may be removed, renewed, or replaced with facility, ifit should become necessary, and of course may be made of any suitablematerial. lVhat I claim is:

l. A resilient openable slotted sleeve having interior grabbing threads,inner tapering walls at its open mouth, and formed with an annularshoulder of less diameter than the threads at the upper edges of 'saidwalls below the threads.

' 2. The combination with a grabbing tool comprising an openable sleevewith interior threads, of a detachable tongue fixed to the sleeve andlocated therein in operative position with relation to said threads.

3. The combination with a grabbing tool including its openable sleeve,of a spring tongue attached to said sleeve and projecting therein inprsition to remove a ball valve from its seat as described.

4. The combination with a resilient openable slotted sleeve havinginterior threads. tapering walls at its open mouth and formed with anannular shoulder, of a spring tongue attached to said sleeve with itsend in operative position with relation to said threads.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. KIRLE Y.

E. S. MArrriN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

